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Sometimes good things come about because of a tragedy. Also, a good reminder to not only have a life vest, wear it. God bless the family.
[url "http://www.standard.net/Local/2016/03/24/Rasmussen-family-donating-10K-1-year-after-father-dies-on-Willard-Bay.html"]http://www.standard.net/Local/2016/03/24/Rasmussen-family-donating-10K-1-year-after-father-dies-on-Willard-Bay.html[/url]
Larry
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I was on Willard 3/22/15 when that guy went missing. Since this has happened I have acquired two self inflating jackets. I have been diligent in wearing mine especially while fishing alone and I quit peeing over the side. Something that I enjoy doing shouldn't kill me
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How nice tha something good can come from such a tragedy, It would be nice to have more ADA compliant docks on our lakes and resovoirs. My brother in law loves to fish however being in a wheelchair his options are limited, not to mention that he has to wait when some person that doesn't need it is actually using it and refuses to get off. And believe I'm a little less than nice when this happens, not trying to be an a hole about but it's truly annoying.
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I read once that over 70% of the recovered bodies of drowned fishermen have their fly unzipped. I'm like you, I'll run into shore if I really need to pee. My wife is getting me one of those inflatable vests for my birthday next week.
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I don't run to shore I use a big Maverick cup so I don't have to lean over the side plus it's much more discreet. The make one you can buy called a wizzinator
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Matt would have been proud to have been part of ensuring that all who enjoy fishing have the ability to do so at Willard Bay. Everyone stay safe.
Stacie Rasmussen
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Good to see that the pier will finally be put in at Willard.
It will be a big help for people that couldn't manage the steep shoreline and banks.
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I didn't know Matt other than to wave and trade "how ya doins" but I'm another that has invested in a self inflating PFD. I bought one last year for myself, and this year I bought another to have as my second person PFD. I have always carried the required by law PFD's but unless the weather turned bad, I rarely wore them. I wear mine at all times now. From floating off the trailer at launch to nosing back on at the end of the day. A shame a good man had to be lost to teach all us "old guys" a safety lesson we should have already been following. My condolences to his family.
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"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
Or so it says on my license plate holder
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It's coming up on a year since you made this post, I wonder if they have this dock in. Glad to see they were installing the new fishing cleaning station last week at the South marina.
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I have inflatable vest on my boat and 3 regular vest and a throw able and always wear one when along on the water .It is to bad that it takes a loss of someone to make a lot of us realize it could happen to anyone.
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I too went out and bought an inflatable vest and started wearing it every time out.
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I am in the same boat with lots of you. I too went and bought one of these inflatables and wear nearly every time out. And I made this purchase after the tragedy at Willard. My boat is a bit bigger with higher sides than lots of fishing boats and still is a nice piece of mind. I was at the boat show this year and stopped by the Division booth and talked the gents working the booth. I had mentioned the tragedy at Willard and a horrible thing that happened there. The guy working the booth had some relation to the guy who drowned. My wife stopped dead in her tracks and told me that I wasn't ever going alone again unless I had one. I told her I had already bought one and wear it all the time. She did not believe me and nearly started to make a scene and I whipped out my phone from my recent January Powell trip and calmed her nerves. See attached pic.
EVERYONE JUST GO BUY ONE. The inflatables are very comfy. Hardy know they are on.
Cheers and see ya soon on the bay.
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I worked closely with Matt with the Friends of Willard Bay group for many years. I also work with one of the Search & Rescue divers that helped recover his body and also with his ex wife, mother of his children. His death hit home on so many levels it was crazy. The pier is a wonderful memorial for his friends and family but nothing like having him. Very tragic when something like this happen. People please wear your PFD's!!!
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Just got back from a look see at the North marina, no new fishing pier, I think I found it off in the weeds though. Here are a few pics, the first two are of the water level at the ramp, the last two are what I think will one day be the new pier.
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We've always worn them and we even make Annie wear hers (see pic) cause if we were to both need them we really didn't want to worry about where she was or how she was fairing... such a peace of mind.
Didn't know Matt, but glad folks who didn't usually wear a PFD are donning them now.
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I'm pretty sure the main part of the ADA pier is assembled and floating tied up to the slips where the state parks keep their patrol boats.
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I have always worn a PFD ever since I started fishing over 10 years ago. I don't think twice about it. My kids can't set foot in the boat or canoe unless they have one on. Mine aren't inflatables. I have one that is a combo fishing vest and PFD. Safety first.
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Larry, it has been almost a year huh? I'm glad to see so many posts on here that have said they have purchased inflatable pfd's. I bought rearm kits for the 2 I had last year, and will be setting them off in the apartment heated pool soon to check the vest for leaks. [laugh] And I bought a 3rd one just last month. Now when my sons and I are all on the boat, we will all have auto inflating vests, and WEARING them. As far as doing business over the side, my boat is too small to do that. But that's about the only time I use the "bailing bucket" the law says I must have...
[laugh]. All you BFT'ers have a good safe weekend. Weather is looking like it will be nice. CPR them fishies....[fishin]
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"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
Or so it says on my license plate holder
